Questions for 08/26 Meeting

[Roland Kausen]

- How significant are the health risks posed by the contaminants? To those (occasionally) using the park? To those living in the vicinity of the park & on the landfill?
- How will the toxic landfill problem impact the property values of homes built on or adjoining the extended landfill area?
- What measures are the city & EPA legally obliged to take to address health & property issues of affected residents & homeowners? Incidentally, how can the city claim to be an "innocent landowner" unaware of any contamination when landfill operations were reportedly conducted AFTER the city purchased the site in 1942?
- How thoroughly & permanently will the proposed remediation plans eliminate those risks? Can we expect to see a recurrence of the same problem in another decade or two, three? If so, what's the point of taking half-measures?
- Is the city going to parcel & sell off some of the park, e.g. to Riverside Cemetery? If so, what other plans does the city have for the liquidation & privatization of this community asset?

From John Baran:

- What precedents are there for the proposed remediation plans? Where else, in what other parks and contaminated land has the EPA executed this or a similar plan using a permeable membrane or porous soil barrier to abate toxins, and how successful have these been?

- Can we examine a sample of the proposed soil barrier.?

- How many trees will be destroyed, and how many can be saved according to this proposal?

PLEASE add any other questions you may have!!!!!

[Roland Kausen]

These are the original questions Laura McShane proposed in her earlier post:

1) How will the remediation plan for this park affect me?
2) If living along the park, is my yard part of the old land fill?
3) Is there any danger from these contaminants when the soil is excavated, will these contaminants become airborne?
4) How will the construction affect this community?
5) How will the beauty and healthy trees of this park be protected?
6) Are my safety and legal rights being protected?

The question about airborne contaminants, posed by Laura and by John Baran, is particularly critical to our immediate health and safety.